My Only Sunshine
by DiaryOfLacey
Summary: Life for Chibs has gotten very bleak following Jax's death as he tries to rebuild the club from the ground up and keep SAMCRO from going under. The weight of wearing the President's patch is getting to him, but like a ray of sunshine he's found love again, and just maybe his story will finally get a happy ending. Sequel to The Croweater Tales. Part of the EviexChibs storyline.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So welcome to the sequel to The Croweater Tales! As always, I hope you all read and enjoy, and let me know what you think!**

 _He didn't love her in the fierce, passionate way that he had loved Fiona. She was no shy flower, but he was far past the times of his youth when he'd loved hard and wild. He didn't love her like he'd loved Jarry, as if she was nothing more than a hidden secret, something to keep the club afloat and to fill his own desires while stringing her along in a crazy push-pull game. No, he loved Evie in a different way, a peaceful, satisfied way that meant he'd finally found where he was supposed to be in this crazy life he lived. She was his saving grace, calming him and soothing the frayed soul that came with wearing the President patch. Evie Satterly was the best decision Chibs had ever made._

All those cold and lonely nights after Jax's death had been made a little easier by the redheaded girl who had quietly and unassumingly slipped her way into his life and firmly rooted herself in his heart. There had been no whirlwind romance, but just the same they were together and nothing was ever going to change that. Chibs had finally realized this after six months of Evie's constant presence in his house, in his bed, and in his thoughts, and as such he had taken her to Freddy's Tattoo Parlor, where so many other women had went before her and he sealed the deal with the former croweater. A proud black crow was captured mid-flight on the tan skin of her inner forearm, marking her as the newest Old Lady in Charming. Two weeks later, they stood in front of a justice of the peace at the courthouse, slipping simple gold bands on each other's fingers and officially becoming man and wife. No ceremony was needed, and wasn't particularly wanted, just the two of them; Chibs in his jeans and kutte, Evie in a breezy white sundress. It couldn't have been more perfect. She had brought so much happiness into his bleak world when he needed it most, and it was something that she had yet to stop doing. Though she was over two decades younger, she had the wisest, oldest soul he'd ever seen, and she still had the boys in black lining up for her advice or her help when they needed it. Without barely any trying, the beautiful girl that had first walked into the clubhouse over ten years ago had made herself an invaluable part of the Sons, as closely entwined to the reaper as the guys were themselves. Chibs' once bare-bones house was now a hive of activity nearly every night, Evie at the center of it all with the once again close-knit biker family she had cultivated.

Tonight had been another one of those nights. Much like Gemma used to, Evie had spent all day on a full course meal, spread out on the table while all the bikers and the women in their lives filled their bellies. It had filled Chibs with pride to see his family, the family that he had patched into, sitting around his table and being all together again thanks to his wife. Now he was leaning in the doorway of their kitchen, watching her put away the last of the dishes.

"The party was a huge success, lovey. Ya did good for a pregnant girl."

She was smiling when she turned around, her swollen belly poking out proudly beneath her loose dress. This was the latest development that had come in Chibs' life with Evie, a bouncing baby boy growing like a weed inside her body. That had been yet another shock to the Scotsman, and a great source of amusement for his SAMCRO brothers. He would never forget the jokes, the laughter that had been the universal reaction to Evie's pregnancy announcement. But he knew that his brothers were just as excited as he was, excited to finally have some good news given to them for once. A new life was being created, instead of one being snuffed out. Things were finally starting to lighten for them, and Chibs was at the center of the euphoria.

Dropping the dishtowel she was using on the counter, Evie walked over to Chibs and snuggled against his chest, letting him wrap his arms around her. "Tonight was amazing." Her hand went to her belly, and she winced as their son sharply kicked against her side. "But I do believe that some little man is ready for his mommy to take him to bed." Chibs placed his hand next to hers, but their son refused to kick for his father. At one week shy of eight months into Evie's pregnancy, Chibs had yet to feel his son kick, the little one seemingly just as stubborn as his old man. Evie knew it was frustrating her husband, and she placed a gentle kiss to his lips. "Don't worry, sweetheart, you'll feel him soon. It won't be too much longer and you'll be feeling him move in your arms." With a smile, she took his hand in hers. "Now take your fat cow wife to bed before my nonexistent ankles give out from under me."

Chibs couldn't resist her sweet face, and he scooped up his wife in his arms. He carried her up the stairs to their bedroom, gently laying her down on the bed and helping her out of her dress before he stripped out of his clothes and got into bed next to her. His body was warm and familiar as he wrapped his arms around her, his hand resting on the round curve of her belly. It was only a moment before their son kicked hard against his mother, exactly at the spot where his father's hand was touching. Chibs was swift to react, his mouth dropping open as he sat up and pressed his hand to another spot on Evie's stomach. Once again, baby Telford kicked strongly against his dad. Seemingly mesmerized at feeling his son move within his wife, Chibs moved to Evie's side, kissing her forehead before wrapping her tightly in his arms and snuggling close to her. They could both feel the baby kicking again, insistent on making his presence known to his parents. Evie rested her hand against the spot where the baby kept kicking, trying to calm him and give her side a rest.

For the past few weeks, the little one inside her had been crazy active, keeping her awake during the night and preventing her from doing much during the day because his movement often tired her out. She had stopped going to the clubhouse as often, though she still forced herself to go occasionally to make sure everything was going smoothly. As Old Lady to the newest President of the Sons of Anarchy, she was expected to keep up a certain prescence, no matter if she was carrying a baby that thought he was a marathon runner. But Chibs had been insisting lately that she stay home more often, to rest up before their son entered the world. He himself had even been trying to take small breaks from his all-consuming President patch so he could spend moments at home with his pregnant wife every now and then. A whiz in the kitchen when he tried, Chibs had been filling his wife full of hearty dishes lately in an attempt at making their baby as healthy as possible. Evie had taken to grumbling that their son was going to be born the size of a toddler if Chibs kept on, but she still complied when he begged her to eat. Even tonight, he'd insisted she sit down and eat a plateful of the dinner she'd cooked.

Finally the baby calmed down, and Evie felt Chibs' hand cradling the bottom of her belly once again. It was such a serene moment that she could've laid there forever, but the shrill ringing of a cell phone broke the peace. She heard Chibs curse under his breath as he reluctantly let go of her and reached for his discarded jeans, pulling out his phone and flipping it open. He was rather stern to whoever was on the other end, clearly aggravated at having his alone time with Evie interrupted. She carefully manuvered herself up out of the bed, waddling into the bathroom and turning on the shower. Presumably Chibs would be called away to the clubhouse, and she would spend the night alone. Though it wasn't as frequent as it used to be, she still hated the nights when he would be forced to leave and she would be alone. She could only hope this cycle didn't repeat itself once she was in the hospital giving birth because she would personally strangle every single Son if her husband wasn't by her side when she had their baby. _They had just left the house a few hours ago, and already shit had happened that they needed Chibs?_

"I got to go, love." He spoke those dreaded words quietly, because he knew how much she hated to hear them. The slight way her shoulders dropped as soon as he spoke, the almost-inaudible sigh that escaped her; he knew she was upset without her even turning to face him.

"I know." She came over and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly and resting her forehead on the dip between his collarbone, her head nestled under his chin. He held her close, gently rubbing the dip in her back where he knew she hurt the most from the weight of their son. _God,_ _how he hated to leave her._

"If anything happens just give me a call." The edge of worry in his voice was familiar to Evie by now; he worried that something will happen to her or their precious little one while he's away dealing with the other half of his life.

"I know that too. Just be safe." With a final parting kiss, he got dressed and headed down the stairs, the front door shutting moments later behind him.

With a sigh, Evie went to take her shower, standing in front of the mirror and letting her long dark hair out of its' clip. Since she had stopped dyeing her hair red, her thick curls had returned in full force, and her hair fell to below her chest now. Pale stretch marks crisscrossed her hips, her burgeoning bump dipping lower than it ever had as her son settled against her pelvis. Cramps traveled up her side as her muscles tightened, and she stepped into the shower to let the warm water hopefully ease her off. Gradually the pain subsided, and she washed off before toweling dry and struggling to wiggle into a pair of underwear. That was becoming a battle of its' own, and once that was accomplished she simply slipped one of Chibs's t-shirts over her head. They were quickly becoming the only articles of clothing that still fit her bulky frame aside from a few maxi dresses and pairs of leggings she had, thanks to her son growing extremely fast and her husband treating her as a bottomless pit for food. She managed to get herself into bed, trying to get comfortable between the baby seeming to kick every organ she had and worrying about her husband and whatever dangerous business he could be involved in at that moment.

Somewhere in the wee hours of the morning after the baby finally settled down and she finally managed to fall asleep, Evie was aware of Chibs coming home, of his warm body nestling next to hers in the bed and his heartbeat rhythmically thumping under her ear, and she was thankful.

Thankful for him, and for their baby.

Thankful for one more night spent with the man she loved.

Thankful for one more night that he came home alive.


	2. Chapter 2

Whatever club business Chibs had attended to the previous night now meant that he was leaving for two nights on a run with the rest of the club. And that did _not_ make for a very happy wife. Her earlier arguments and protests hadn't changed his mind, but she was giving it one last shot as he prepared to leave. He was standing under the metal awning of the newly rebuilt clubhouse talking to Tig when Lyla drove into the lot, chauffering her friend at Chibs' request that Evie not drive at all in these last stages of her pregnancy. Managing to wiggle her oversize body out of the car, Evie took a moment to catch her breath before waddling over to her husband. "I just came here to say that I'm still mad at you for doing this shit and running off when I'm only a month away from pushing your son out of me."

The SAMCRO President couldn't help but laugh at the glowering look he was receiving from his wife. _Just as blunt as she had always been._ "The boys need me, Evie girl. I can't let the club down." He knew that she knew that already, and that she was simply scared that she would be left alone to have the baby while he was gone. Tig spoke up from beside him, clearly trying to put Evie at ease.

"I don't know how you do it, Chibby. If I had a stunner like this waiting at home for me ain't no way I could leave her." The Vice President put an arm around Evie's shoulder, the former croweater looking up at him with a sweet smile. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he gave her a wink as he started to head back in the clubhouse. "Don't worry, darlin', we'll bring him back home in one piece!" Evie couldn't help but laugh, Tig's humor never failing to make things better.

She followed Chibs as he headed for the row of bikes parked in front of the garage, glaring at the reaper adorning the back of his kutte; the "other woman" in her husband's life. Hurrying to step in front of Chibs, she hoisted herself on his Harley, giving Chibs her very best pout face. "Please don't go." _If she parked her giant self on his bike, he couldn't leave!_

He couldn't help but smile at his wife. Even with her now-brown hair, round belly and the extra weight she carried for now, he could still see her as the curvy redhead that had once turned every head each time she stepped into the clubhouse. That same sparkle in her blue eyes was still present, and she could still charm the moon just like she had been able to do all those years ago when he'd first met her. _God, how he loved her._ Reaching down, he brushed his thumb over her bottom lip and winked.

"I have to, Evie girl. But I'll be back to ya as quick as I can. Don't let that little boy come before his da's here to see it."

Grudgingly Evie managed to shuffle herself off of his bike, her hands holding the side of her belly. "If he's anything like you he's going to do exactly what the hell he wants to do, no matter what I say." Turning away, she waddled off towards the clubhouse, muttering under her breath. Chibs watched Lyla meet her at the doorway, and Evie let her friend hug her as she tried not to cry.

"Why does he have to leave now, Lyla? I'm so close to having the baby!" She knew it sounded childish even as she said it, but she didn't care. She wanted her husband here with her, not out on the road where who-knows-what awaited him and the rest of the club. But as always, she knew it was his job and his life, and that he would go no matter how big of a tantrum she threw. If there was one thing she had learned during her years as a croweater, it was that sometimes she had to keep her mouth shut and take what was dealt to her no matter how bad she wanted to change it.

"I know, Evie, but it's okay. I'll pack a bag and come stay at the house with you until Chibs gets back, that way you won't be alone at all." That seemed to calm her slightly, and Evie smiled thankfully at her friend.

 _"What would I do without you, Lyla?"_

It was dark all through the house when Evie's eyes fluttered open, the bright red numbers on the clock reading 3:45. Pressure in her bladder told her that she would be forced to make a trip to the bathroom, and she considered calling for Lyla in the next room to come and help her. Deciding she could try and make it on her own, she wiggled and manuevered until she was sitting on the side of the bed, then wobbled to her feet and headed for the bathroom. A warm feeling began to spread down her leg, and she grumbled in embarassment at the thought of wetting herself. Managing to sit down on the toilet, she looked down and was horrified to see a thick smear of blood covering the inside of her thighs and down her legs. Fear immediately coiled in her chest, a scream tearing from her throat as she gripped her belly and prayed that it was just a dream.

A primal scream filled the house, waking Lyla from her dreams and nearly scaring her to death. She threw off the sheets and sprinted for Evie's room, nearly tearing the door from its' hinges as she jerked it open. The bathroom door was slightly cracked, the light spilling from underneath. When she pushed it aside, she was unprepared to see Evie sitting there screaming as tears poured down her face, ruby red blood covering her legs and the floor and slowly puddling at her feet. Lyla's mind immediately began turning a million miles an hour as she frantically tried to think of what to do, snatching a towel from the rack and packing it between Evie's legs. "I'm going to call 911, just hold that there!" Evie was shaking wildly, but she managed to follow Lyla's directives and hold the towel between her legs. Reentering the bedroom, Lyla pulled one of Chibs' burner phones off the dresser, dialing 911 and hurriedly describing what was happening to the operator. When she had been promised that an ambulance would arrive shortly, Lyla returned to the bathroom, where Evie was still sobbing as blood slowly soaked through the towel. "The ambulance is coming, Evie, just hold on a little longer."

The pregnant woman's eyes were beginning to glaze over as Lyla desperately tried to keep her hanging on, knowing that the extensive blood loss was going to begin catching up to Evie sooner or later. Gently shaking her shoulder, Lyla managed to rouse her a little, but she could tell she was fading quickly. She removed the towel from between Evie's legs to replace it with a fresh one, and nearly fainted when she saw what looked like the top of a baby's head peeking out. _Evie couldn't be giving birth right now, could she?!_ Finding another towel, Lyla pressed it against the head, desperately hoping she would be able to keep the baby inside until help arrived. By now Lyla was stained in blood as well as Evie, and she began crying at the sight of how much blood her friend had lost. A few moments later the sound of sirens could be heard, and Lyla reluctantly left Evie as she raced downstairs to open the door. The paramedics bullrushed her as they pushed a stretcher in the house, Lyla pointing them up the stairs. They wouldn't let her in the bathroom, but she could hear their voices and from their tones, something was not right. Catching one of the medics as he exited the bathroom for his bag, Lyla looked at him with solemn eyes. "Is she okay? Is the baby okay?"

"How far along is she?" The way he said it immediately sent chills through Lyla.

"She's almost 34 weeks." The subtle shift in his facial expression made tears rise again in Lyla's eyes. "Please tell me what's happening."

With a heavy sigh, the paramedic gestured to the bathroom. "The baby is coming early, which wouldn't be a problem if she wasn't bleeding like she is. Something is wrong inside but we don't know what it is until we get her to the hospital and under the care of a doctor. But I suggest you call her family and tell them that they need to be at the hospital, this is a life and death situation right now."

Lyla felt the color drain from her face at the medic's words. She stood frozen as they wheeled Evie by on a stretcher, blood already staining the crisp white sheet over her. Her skin was gray, her eyes closed as she was jostled down the stairs. Lyla followed them down the stairs, dialing Chibs quickly as she slid behind the wheel of Evie's car to follow the ambulance. The car seat that Chibs had spent an hour installing stared hauntingly at her in the rearview mirror, and she could only pray that the little boy inside Evie would make it into that carseat and that Evie would make it to drive him around.

 _"It's Evie, Chibs. You need to get to St. Thomas now."_

Lyla's words made his blood run cold, and fear washed over him as he pushed his Harley to its limits towards the hospital.

 _Please, God, let his wife and son be okay._


	3. Chapter 3

St. Thomas Hospital was not prepared for the flood of bikers that entered the halls, a flood of boots and leather and gruff orders. Chibs led the pack, ordering the nurse to tell him where his wife was. The nurse remained calm, by now a pro at dealing with the MC and all the times they came through the door, pulling a stack of papers from her clipboard. "What's her name?"

"Evelyn Telford." He was straining to keep himself calm, but as soon as the nurse directed him to Evie's room he was sprinting. Tig instinctively took over, leading the rest of the men into the waiting room to wait for Chibs to come back.

Stopping for a moment outside the room the nurse had directed him to, Chibs tried to prepare himself for what might lay inside, but he still nearly fell to the ground when he opened the door. Evie lay in the middle of the bed, looking like a sleeping princess with her dark hair spread around her. Tubes and wires encircled every inch of her, a monotone beeping monitoring her heart rate. There was no large bump beneath the blankets, and his heart sank to know that she had already delivered their baby. Stepping closer to the bed, he startled as Lyla moved out of the shadows, giving him a sad look. "She's barely hanging on, Chibs."

Her skin was cold to the touch as Chibs brushed her cheek, and it was at that moment that he lost his steely biker resolve. Lyla took him in her arms, desperately trying to comfort him. His back shook beneath her hands as she held him, his tears wetting the shoulder of her shirt. "I'm so sorry. I tried to help her as best I could." There were tears edging Lyla's voice as she spoke to him, and Chibs straighened up and brushed his hand beneath his eyes. _He had to be strong for Lyla as well as Evie._

"I know that, thank you, love. You're her best friend, Lyla." He placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder, and she could see the sincerity of his words in his eyes. Knowing that he most likely wanted time alone with his wife, Lyla touched his hand before she headed for the door.

"The baby is in the nursery just down the hall if you want to see him. I'll go and tell the guys about things, and I'll check in on you later." Chibs nodded at her words absentmindedly, his mind already focused on his wife.

Her small hand looked delicate, almost doll-like, in his calloused grip as he took it in his, pressing his lips to her knuckles. It was such an alien feeling to not have her stir under his kiss, to not respond by throwing her arms around his neck and return a kiss of her own. Evie was always so full of life, so engaging and bubbly and bright, that seeing her in this state was so foreign. Resting a hand gently on her now flat stomach, he tried to speak without his voice shaking. "It's going to be okay, Evie girl. I'm so sorry that I wasn't here when you needed me, I'm so damn sorry. Just don't leave me, please don't leave me and that little fella down the hall. We need you, darlin', we really need ya."

He finally brought himself to go and see his son, bracing himself for yet another shock at what he might find in the nursery. The nursery was dark and quiet, only a few babies currently there. The intensive care babies were in the nursery next door, and it was there that Chibs first laid eyes on his son. He was tiny, smaller than Chibs had expected with all the food he'd been pushing into Evie, and like his mother tubes and wires were circling him. A blue card taped to his incubator announced that he weighed just 3 pounds and was 20 inches long, but no name was given other than 'Baby Boy Telford'. The nurse on duty approached the door, slowly opening it and letting Chibs inside, already knowing who he was. "You can take all the time you need with him." Approaching his son's plastic box carefully, he laid his hand on the top and just watched him. The tiny chest heaving softly as he breathed, the small features that were more perfect than he could have ever imagined. Quietly Chibs began muttering to himself, a blessing in Gaelic that he had learned when he was just a child.

"Mhà an rathad ag èirigh suas gus coinneachadh thu, mhà bi a 'ghaoth daonnan aig agad air ais, mhà a 'ghrian a' dealradh blàth air do ghnùis; an uisgeachan tuiteam bog agad air achaidhean agus gus am bi sinn a 'coinneachadh a-rithist, Dia a chumail thu ann an ea bhois."

His voice was soft and melodic as he spoke to his son, leaning over to press a kiss to the incubator when he was done. "I love you little man. I'm your Da." His voice wavered just like his resolve did, and then he broke down yet again, sinking to the floor beside the incubator and beginning to sob in his hands. _Why him? Why his wife and son?_ Perhaps it was a punishment for all the time he'd spent away from them throughout Evie's pregnancy, or perhaps it was punishment for all the terrible things he'd done in his time as a Son. For whatever reason it may have been, this was the single worst day of his life.

The day Jax had died, the day he lost Fiona and Kerrianne, the day each of his various brothers had lost their lives, not one of those days compared to seeing his wife on the edge of death and his son in such fragile condition. Evie had come along at a time when Chibs needed comfort and love the most, and she had repaired the broken pieces of his heart and made him whole again. There was not a day that he didn't thank God for her and the way she had made his world right again, and he was positive that he would've been just another coffin in the dirt a long time ago without her being there as his anchor, as his reason to come home every night. There was absolutely no way that he could go on if he lost her, or their son. When Evie had waved a plastic stick in front of his face and told him that he was going to be a father, he'd nearly fainted. Becoming a father again at his age was nearly unfathomable; it had been hard enough as a young man, newly patched into SAMBEL and Fiona left at home with Kerrianne. Now he was graying and aging and his young wife that no one had possibly thought he'd end up with was telling him that he was going to be a father again.

A boy, a son to carry on the Telford name, a little boy that he'd always wanted. Evie had given that to him, and though he had been shocked at first he had become just as excited as Evie was.

 _And now they were here._

 _God help them all._

 **A/N: The prayer that Chibs said translates to this: "May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind always be at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand." As always, please read and review and let me know what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4

_"Mr. Telford, your wife is in a very dire condition. It's been two days and she still hasn't come out of her coma. If she doesn't wake up by tomorrow, I'm not sure she's going to make it."_

The doctor's words scared him more than anything ever had. _How could his perfectly healthy wife have suddenly become so fragile?_ Thankfully the baby was getting stronger by the day, he was down to wearing only one monitor, and the nurse had told Chibs earlier when he arrived back at the hospital that he could finally hold his son. So here he was, sitting in a worn recliner next to the clear plastic box that his son had been in for three days. A nurse finally appeared in the door, smiling softly at the leather clad biker so intently watching the tiny infant in front of him. She flipped the locks on the incubator, reaching inside and deftly picking up the baby boy, making sure the wire to his monitor stayed in place as she transferred him into his father's arms. Chibs was awkward as she placed his son in his arms, holding him as if he might break. Finally he was settled, taking in the perfect form of his _son._ His little boy. Having Kerrianne had been so different, so unlike looking down at this little man in his arms. Without warning tears began burning his eyes, and Chibs didn't bother to wipe them away. Lately his emotions were getting the better of him every time he walked in the doors of St. Thomas, and now this little tiny pink thing wrapped in a blue blanket was tearing at his heartstrings. _Filip Jackson Telford._ The name that he and Evie had agreed on after she'd forced him to listen to her recite name after name from a baby book, until he'd told her that the baby would bear his own name, and that of his most cherished brother. _Baby Jack._ The name just seemed to fit the tiny little guy perfectly, and Chibs hoped that Evie would live to see her son. He just couldn't lose her.

He sat there for what seemed like ages, just looking at the beautiful, perfect little thing that Evie had given him. And then little Jack opened his eyes, revealing startling blue eyes just like his mother. He stared at his father, then he grabbed hold of the ringed finger stroking his face and squeezed with surprising strength for a baby. With a smile, Chibs bowed his head to kiss his son's forehead. "You're a strong little lad, Jack. You make your da proud. Now we just got to make sure your ma wakes up."

The nurse from earlier finally reentered, giving the new father a small smile. "Sorry, dad, but the visiting hours are up right now."

"It's fine, I shou'd get back to his ma anyhow." Chibs kissed his son's forehead one last time, finally letting the nurse take him and place him back in the incubator. Placing his hand on the top of the box, Chibs smiled. "I love you, Jack." Then it was back to Evie's room, where she was still in the same position she had been occupying for three days now. Her slender hands were folded across her belly now, her gold wedding band shining from her fourth finger. She was so beautiful, even in this condition, that it made his chest physically ache. _He wanted nothing more than for her to sit up and open her eyes and tell him how much she loved him._

The door creaked open, the nurse from the nursery bringing in Jack's incubator with the baby inside. Chibs raised an eyebrow at her, and the woman smiled softly. "Dr. Michaels wants to try a last ditch attempt to bring Evelyn out of the coma on her own. He's going to have the baby in here, and hopefully hearing him cry will wake her up." Seeing the worried look on Chibs' face, the nurse gave him a reassuring wink. "Everything is going to be just fine, Mr. Telford."

 _Just fine? Yeah right. He had never felt so much anxiety in his life_.

Dr. Michaels came in next, once again explaining what they were going to be doing as he examined Evie's chart and double checked her vitals. Then he took Jack from his incubator, unwrapping the little boy's blanket and carrying him over to Evie's bedside. The baby was unused to the temperature of the room, and he immediately began to cry as he sensed his mother's prescense nearby. Chibs watched Evie intently for any sign of change on her stoic face, internally praying that Jack could coax his mother from her current state. Dr. Michaels watched her as well, and both he and Chibs registered the tiny uptick in the speed of her heart monitor when Jack was held close to her ear. The speed of the beeping gradually increased, until the doctor gave Chibs a wide smile.

"She's waking up, Mr. Telford."

After what seemed like an eternity, the corner of Evie's mouth twitched, and then her bright blue eyes were slowly opening. She blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the light before she began searching for her son. Dr. Michaels put Jack in her line of view, and Evie smiled peacefully.

"Give me..give me my baby." Her voice was quiet, but there was no question in her tone. Carefully laying Jack on Evie's chest, he helped her to put her arms around the baby, Chibs stepping to the other side of her bed and smiling down at his wife. Evie met his eyes after a moment, that beautiful smile of hers tugging at his heart. "Filip, baby, we did it." For the rest of his life, Chibs would swear that he had never heard a more beautiful sound than that of his wife breathing his given name. He placed a hand over hers, helping her to keep Jack steady in her arms.

"Aye, sweetheart, we made a beautiful little boy." Chibs brushed back the hair from her face with his opposite hand, not wanting one inch of her obscured from his view.

They spent most of the afternoon in the same fashion, Evie slowly but steadidly coming out of her hazy, sleepy state and Jack cradled in his mother's arms. Tig had sent word to Chibs that the club would wait until they came home from the hospital to see Evie and the baby, not wanting to intrude on the new family when they had nearly been ripped apart. Finally Jack had to be taken back to the nursery for a quick checkup, with the nurse promising he would be brought back to his parents as soon as they were done. Chibs took the brief moment alone to sit on the edge of the bed beside Evie, holding her hand in his and pulling her knuckles up to his lips for a kiss. "Ya can't ever scare me like that again, love. Thought I'd lost ya."

"You can't get rid of me that easily, I worked too hard to get you." There was her signature sense of humor, and Chibs knew she would be okay. Edging over in the bed, Evie patted the side of the mattress. "Lay with me a minute? Just till they bring the baby back." Chibs did as she asked, sliding onto the bed beside her, careful to avoid the wires hooked to her body as she laid her head on his shoulder. "This is the happiest I've ever been, babe. We've got our little man here, even if it did almost kill me to have him." Pausing a moment, she looked up at her husband with curious eyes. "What was his birth like? I don't remember anything after being in the bathroom with Lyla."

A flood of guilt washed over as he tried to remember the details he'd gotten from Lyla, who had managed to pry it out of a nurse. _He couldn't tell her he'd missed their son's birth. If she thought he'd been there to witness it, then he was going to lie through his teeth._ "It was scary, love. They cut you open and delivered him by a C-section. You didn't know a thing." In his mind, he thanked Lyla a hundred times over for briefing him on what had gone on in the delivery room.

That seemed to satisfy Evie, and she smiled softly as she nestled her head back against the worn leather of his kutte. "I'm glad you were there, Filip. I knew you'd protect me and Jack just like always." Her fingers closed around the silver cross that hung around his neck, something she always did when she was in his arms. He was her protector and her safe place, and Chibs hated to think that he had let her down.

Lying there in her hospital bed, his wife close at his side, Chibs made a silent promise both to Evie and to Jack that he would never leave them or let them down again. They were his second chance at having a family and doing things the right way, and he vowed that he wouldn't mess this up.

 _He had worked too hard to get to this point to turn back now._

 **A/N: As always, please read and review and let me know what you think!**


	5. Chapter 5

It was another two days before Dr. Michaels deemed Evie in a decent enough condition to go home, though he said that Jack would remain in the hospital for another week or so while continuing to gain both weight and strength. After informing both the doctor and her husband that she would be back everyday to visit her baby, Evie sent Chibs to get Lyla from the waiting room, the blonde present at the hospital to drive Evie home. A few moments later, the former porn star made her way into Evie's room, helping the new mom to get dressed and pack her bag. "C'mon, Mommy, let's get you home!" Evie couldn't help but laugh, her hand gripping her stomach as pain emanated from her stitches. The same nurse that had been attending to her all week came in pushing a wheelchair, Lyla going to bring the car around as the nurse, Chibs, and Evie headed down the elevator.

Outside St. Thomas, Evie was shocked to see the entire MC waiting around her car, ready to escort their queen home. Turning her head to look at Chibs, she cracked a grin. "Can we not go anywhere quietly?"

Her husband shrugged, giving her a 'what-can-you-do?' look. "You know the boys, can't tell them nothin' when it's in their minds. Not one of 'em would hear of letting you come home with no escort."

Shaking her head in mild amusment, Evie let the nurse help her into the car, Lyla starting it up and letting Tig and Happy take their places in front of the car before she followed them out. Rat, Quinn, and T.O. fell in behind, the little MC parade drawing many stares as they passed through the streets of Charming. Chibs made his way to the front of the pack, taking his position as leader. As Evie watched his back, she couldn't help but almost see Jax riding just ahead of him, leading as the proud king of his empire. Now Chibs was in that spot, trying to fix what Jax had done and rebuild the club. He was stretching himself thin, trying to balance her and the club and now the baby, and she made a mental note to try and talk him into a little vacation. She was sure he needed it. Finally they turned onto their street, Chibs, Tig, and Happy backing their bikes up against the curb so that Lyla could pull into the driveway. The rest of the club followed suit, all of them crowding around the car as Lyla parked. Tig pulled open Evie's door for her, gesturing as if he were a butler. "This way, madam."

When she managed to get herself out of the seat, Evie thanked him with a kiss on the cheek, Tig faking shyness at her gesture. "Thank you, Tiggy. You'd be a great chauffeur if you ever decide to give up this MC life." They both laughed, Chibs then stepping in to take his wife's hand and lead her into the house. Lyla followed them in with Evie's bag, and a bag of her own since Chibs had asked her to stay with Evie while he was busy at the clubhouse.

They got the new mother settled on the couch, Chibs leaning down to kiss his wife's lips. "I've got to go to the clubhouse, but I'll be back soon, love. Rat's gonna be outside if you need him, and Lyla's here with you. I'll try to be back as soon as I can. I love you, Evie girl." He saw the pout already forming on her face, but to his surprise Evie offered no argument.

"Just be safe. I love you too." He could see the disappointment on her face, but at least Lyla would be there for company and Rat would be outside should anyone attempt to bother his wife. Deciding it was best not to drag out the inevitable, he again kissed her, then was gone out the door. The sound of motorcycles a moment later made Evie sigh in frustration, Lyla sitting down in the chair across from her.

"I know I'm not Chibs, but I'm here for you, Evie."

Turning her gaze to her friend, Evie smile-thanked her. "I know, Lyla, and I'm so glad you are. At least I have another female to talk to about how bad I'm hurting instead of my husband."

They both got a laugh out of that, Lyla checking her phone as she continued talking. "He was so worried about you, he asked me a hundred times about the delivery and if anything had gone wrong. I thought he was going to give himself a heart attack when he came in and saw that you had already had the baby."

Evie's face hardened like a stone as she looked up at Lyla. "What? You mean he wasn't there when I had Jack?"

Lyla looked up as well, sensing the change in her friend's tone. "No. He tried to make it but he didn't get there until they had already taken Jack and put you on monitors. Why?"

Shaking her head, Evie tried to hide the anger she felt roiling in her aching stomach. "No reason, just asking." _How dare Chibs lie to her! He'd missed their son's birth and he couldn't man up and tell her that?!_ Maybe it was the emotions, or maybe it was the hormones, but Evie was already preparing to rail him out of the frame when he got back home. If there was one thing she hated more than anything, it was being lied to, and Chibs had promised at the very beginning of their relationship that he would _never_ lie to her no matter what. But she tried to stifle the anger and keep it from showing on her face, not wanting Lyla to feel bad for ratting Chibs out accidentally. Instead she laid a hand over her stomach, gently prodding the bandage covering the stitches on her pelvis. "Hey Lyla, do you think you could run to the pharmacy and pick up my pain meds? I forgot about it, and I'm starting to hurt a little. Rat's outside, I'll be fine till you get back."

Nodding, Lyla grabbed the car keys and her purse from the table. "Sure, Evie, I'll be back soon. Remember, no moving a lot and don't pick up anything at all until I get back!"

With a warm smile at her friend, Evie nodded. "Yes, Mother!"

Then Lyla was gone, the front door shutting behind her letting Evie know that she was finally alone. Breathing a sigh of relief, Evie wiggled around until she managed to get herself up off the couch, slowly stretching until she was nearly upright and grimacing at the shot of pain that burned through her lower body. It was slow progress as she made her way up the stairs to the bedroom, but finally she got there. It was still a scene of chaos, the covers of the bed thrown back just as they'd been when she'd gotten up that night to go to the bathroom. Nervous to know if the bathroom was still a mess, she was relieved to see that someone (most likely Lyla) had cleaned up the blood from the floor and washed the soaked towels. In the mirror, she looked herself up and down, thinking how strange it was to see her body without the huge bump that had been growing for the past eight months. Pulling up the hem of her dress, she carefully peeled back the bandage to expose the vivid red scar punctuated with black stitches that ran across her pelvis. It was crazy to think that her son had come out of that small opening, and she decidedly thought to herself that when it healed, it would be the one 'tattoo' that she was most proud to wear for the rest of her life. Remembering her doctor's warning that she needed to keep her stitches covered for the first few days, she gingerly replaced the bandage, her thoughts again turning to Chibs and how she was going to approach the subject of him missing their son's birth.

 _She loved her husband dearly, and she hated the thought of him lying to her, even if he was just trying to protect her by doing so. He could've just told her he was too late for Jack's birth; perhaps she would've understood given the situation. But for him to lie about it, that was what really burnt her up._

She went back into the bedroom, too tired to try and attempt to go back down the stairs. Instead she laid down in the bed, unaware of how tired she was until she was nestled in the cool covers of her bed. Before she knew it, she was asleep, not even waking up when Lyla came back with her meds or when she left and Chibs finally came home. It was dark outside when she finally opened her eyes, the clock beside her telling her it was 11:00. She could hear the heavy thud of Chibs' boots on the stairs, and then he was in the doorway of their bedroom.

"You okay, love?"

His voice, that accent she'd always loved, cut through the silence of their house, and Evie rolled her eyes. _Yes, she was perfectly fine after having been cut open, having a baby pulled out of her, nearly dying and being in a coma for three days, and having her husband lie to her about missing their son's birth. Yes, she was just fucking peachy._ Struggling to sit up, she glared at Chibs as hard as she could. "You lied to me. You weren't there when Jack was born."

The startled expression on his face told her he knew that he'd been caught. After a moment, he finally cleared his throat and hung his head. "I'm sorry, lovey, I couldn't tell you I'd missed the little one comin' into this world. I'm sorry I lied to ya."

"Maybe you should just sleep on the couch, Chibs." Her voice was cold when she spoke, and Chibs knew he had most definitely landed himself in the doghouse by lying to her. Evie knew he realized that, and while she really wanted him to be beside her in the bed, she felt he needed to know that she did not appreciate him lying even if it was to cushion her feelings. "Don't ever lie to me again."

Seeing that she was not going to change her mind, Chibs resigned himself to the couch and headed back down the stairs.

 _Parenthood was already proving harder than he thought, and their son wasn't even home yet._


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: SO SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT! I'm finally getting back into writing, and as always I hope you all read and enjoy! Please review and let me know what you think! This is short, but it's basically a little update, and also reveals the reason Evie had to give birth early.**

 _Evie had refused to speak to Chibs the next morning when he woke up from his cold, hard bed on the couch, blatantly ignoring him until she informed him that he had to drive her to the hospital to see Jack._

It had been silent the whole way to the hospital, Evie leaving Chibs behind as she hurried into St. Thomas and headed for the nursery. Jack was asleep in his incubator when she arrived, and Evie smiled softly as the nurse that was checking his machines stepped aside to lift him out. Once she was seated in the rocking chair, the nurse carefully transferred Jack to his mother's waiting arms, Evie cradling her son to her chest. The nurse watched a moment, placing a hand on Evie's shoulder. "The doctor will be here in a minute to speak with you. This little guy is making good progress, he's up to almost 4 and a half pounds."

Placing her finger in her son's hand, Evie smiled. "I know, he's a fighter like his momma." The nurse left them then, Evie reveling in the peace of just being with her son. She didn't hear Chibs quietly come into the nursery, her husband appearing at her side.

"How's our little man?" He was clearly trying to make peace with her, but Evie kept her mouth shut and ignored him. Dr. Michaels came in then, preventing anymore awkward conversation between the spouses.

"Mr. Telford, Mrs. Telford, good to see you! I'm happy to tell you that little Jack is making great strides, and he'll be able to go home most likely in the next week or so. Once he makes it to five pounds, I'll release him to go home with his parents."

The doctor's smile was met with a grin from Evie, the new mother running a finger over her son's cheek.

"That's great news, I can't wait."

The doctor briefly took a minute to check Jack's machines to make sure his numbers were in order, then turned back to Evie. "I'd also like to discuss beginning to breastfeed with you, Evelyn. I think it'll benefit him and help him gain some more weight when he goes home. Would that be okay with you?"

Evie was quick to agree, eager to do anything that meant her son could come home quicker. The doctor made a note in his chart, and handed a stack of forms to Chibs. "Just fill these out and drop them off with a nurse on your way out today. I'll have a lactation consultant meet with you in the next day or so to start Jack on breastfeeding, and then he'll be ready to go home soon. I'll see you the next trip. Have a good day!" He started to leave, but Evie called him back. Getting up to place Jack back in his incubator, she turned to the doctor.

"I just have one more question. What happened to me, Dr. Michaels? What caused Jack to come early?" It was something that had been worrying her since Jack's birth. _What if they had more kids? Would this same thing happen again?_

"You had a condition called placental abruption. Your blood pressure shot up for some unknown reason, and it caused your placenta to detach from the uterus earlier than it was supposed to. You started bleeding and hemmorhaging. You're very lucky that Mrs. Winston was with you or you and Jack could've died, Mrs. Telford. But thankfully, you arrived to the hospital in time, and you and Jack both will be fine."

Once the doctor left and Evie took a moment to take in his words, she turned to Chibs with a mask of anger on her face. "Do you see what you did, Filip?! You left me to go carouse around with your buddies and I could've died on the goddamn bathroom floor! That stupid fucking trip was so damn important that I could've bled to death on the floor!" Her hands were shaking as she pointed her finger in his face, struggling to keep her voice low and remember their surroundings.

"I can't exactly say no when business comes knocking, Evie! You think I wanted to come home to you almost dying?! I didn't fucking plan it like that!" Chibs was also struggling to maintain his composure, and Evie angrily snatched the forms from his hand.

"I'm going to fill this shit out and then you're taking me home and after that I don't care what the fuck you do." His wife stormed off, leaving Chibs to drop his head into his hands and sigh.

 _Already this was not the smooth ride he had anticipated._

After taking a moment to compose himself, he left the nursery to find Evie at the nurse's station, dropping off the paperwork she'd filled out. She barely paid him any notice as they left the hospital, even pulling away when he tried to take her hand. The ride home was much the same as the ride to the hospital, quiet and icy. As he pulled in the driveway, he looked over at her and gave her a sad look. "I'm sorry, Evie. I'm sorry I lied. I wasn't there for the birth and I should've told ya. I'm sorry, with all my heart. Just please stop being so damn quiet and talk to me."

For a moment she didn't speak, but then she gave in and turned to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry, Filip, I'm just lost. I almost fucking _died._ I guess I just got too upset with all that's been happening. I just want Jack to come home so we can be a family." Tears began to fill her eyes, and he got out of the truck and walked around to open her door so he could hold her in his arms. She began crying into his shoulder, holding onto his back like a lifeline. "I don't want us to end up like Jax, I want you to be safe!" Her words came out in a hurry, her fingers digging into the leather of his jacket.

 _There it was, the true reason for her anger. She was upset because she didn't want him on club business because she was afraid that he wouldn't come home._

"Darlin', I promise, I'll always come home. Things are gonna be okay from now on." He held her tight, wanting her to know that he was serious and that he wasn't going to leave her and their son. He was needed, he had a purpose with them.

Jax had only given up because he had nothing left to live for. Chibs had everything to live for and more.

 _There was no way he was going to jeopardize the best thing that had ever happened to him._

 **A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review before you leave!**


	7. Chapter 7

_After waiting for so long for this moment, Chibs and Evie finally got to bring their son home two and a half weeks after his birth._

Jack looked tiny in the crib that Tig and Happy had put together, a black SAMCRO Reaper blanket over him. He was peacefully asleep, full from his mother's milk and the long ride home from the hospital, as Evie slept in their bedroom, enjoying a well-deserved nap. Chibs, meanwhile, sat in the rocking chair at the foot of Jack's crib and just watched his son. _Never in a million years would he ever have imagined his life in the place it was now. He had never thought Jax would be dead and that he would be wearing the President's patch now. He'd also never seen himself married again, not after Fiona. He'd assumed he'd live out the rest of his days with one night stands, but Evie had changed all that for him. If he lived to be one hundred and fifty he would never be able to thank God enough for his wife. She had saved him from a downhill spiral after Jax's death, made him see that life was still worth living. And now Jack. Christ sakes, he'd certainly never seen himself with a newborn at fifty years old. But since the fiasco of his birth, Chibs had realized that he had never loved anything as much as he loved his son. Yes, he loved Kerrianne as his daughter, but after having nothing to do with her for most of her life, it was hard to feel for her like he felt for Jack. No one had ever made him feel like the little person in this crib had._

As if sensing what his dad was thinking, Jack opened his eyes, peering out between the crib bars at the leather-clad man sitting beside him. And to Chibs' amazement, his son smiled. Reaching a finger through the bars, Chibs let his son grab on, smiling back softly. "Already a charmer, huh, little man? Just like your uncle Jax." His eyes turned to the framed photo on the wall above the changing table, of Jax with his arm slung around Chibs' shoulders as they both smiled widely at the cameras. _He would teach Jack all about the man he was named for when he was old enough._

Jack began fussing, and Chibs stood to lift his son from the crib and sit back down in his chair. Seemingly calmed by his father's presence, the baby quieted and contentedly closed his eyes again. "Yer da's always gonna be here to protect you, my boy. I'm never lettin' you or yer ma down again." That was a promise he never intended to break. He would move heaven and earth to make sure his son was protected and happy, and the same for Evie. _Nothing was going to mess up the happiness he'd finally found for himself._ The sound of the phone ringing made him curse under his breath, hoping that it wouldn't wake Evie. She'd been the epitome of a supermom since Jack's birth, but he knew she needed a rest after today. He got up as carefully as he could, trying not to wake up Jack. The sound of the ringing stopped abruptly, and then Evie's voice carried down the hall. _Damn it._

The call must've been brief, the sound of footsteps in the hall reaching him before Evie appeared. Her long hair was mussed from her sleep, and she wore one of his old SAMCRO T-shirts that only brushed the tops of her thighs.

"The boys want us to bring Jack to the club. I told them we'd get him dressed and come over. You think you can get him dressed while I go put clothes on?"

Her small smile made him laugh. "You think I can't get the little one dressed?"

"We'll see how it goes, babe. I'll be back in a few minutes."

 _Maybe Evie was right._ Jack may have only been two and a half weeks old but he sure was a squirmy little thing as Chibs tried to manuever him into a tiny black SAMCRO onesie that Gemma had delivered through Lyla. Finally though, he managed to wrangle his son into his clothes and put a white hat on his head, picking him up from the changing table with a weary smile. "You sure are a challenge, little one." Slinging the diaper bag over his shoulder, he kissed Jack's head. "C'mon, let's go find yer ma."

When Evie came back down the hall, Chibs nearly lost his breath at the sight of her. She was dressed in a simple white sundress, her full bust (thanks to breastfeeding) straining against the thin material. She still had a fullness to her figure that she hadn't lost yet, but it perfectly suited her. Her long hair was curling down her back, and Chibs would swear that she had never looked more perfect than she did right then with her arms crossed over her chest.

"What the hell are you looking at?"

"Just admiring the perfect lady I'm lucky ta be married to." He gave her a charming grin, and she couldn't help but smile. Taking Jack from his arms, she kissed him softly.

"C'mon, I'm not babysitting your little biker boys without you." They made their way outside to Evie's car, and she got Jack into his carseat while Chibs slid into the passenger seat. Evie did most of the driving when it required being in the car, as her husband was more comfortable on two wheels rather than four. Backing out of the driveway, they headed towards Teller-Morrow, Evie singing along to the radio as she drove. Chibs kept stealing glances at her, cracking a smile to himself at this perfect little creature he had managed to get for himself. _He surely was a lucky man._ She happened to look over and catch his eye, winking slyly at him without ever breaking the harmony of the song as she turned into the T-M parking lot. The gleaming black row of Harleys lined up brought another smile to his face, all of his brothers streaming out from inside of the clubhouse and waving as they pulled up. Evie laughed and pointed to the banner that had been strung up over the clubhouse awning, 'Welcome Home Jack' in rainbow letters filling the bedsheet that someone had obviously ripped from a dorm room bed. _They were such a well-meaning bunch when they tried._

Lyla emerged from the group of men, opening the door and removing Jack's car seat from the base before Evie and Chibs were even out of the car. She gave Evie a smile as if to say Jack was in good hands, and Evie returned the gesture in thanks, more than happy to let Lyla take over. It was nice to have the help. Chibs put an arm around his wife's shoulders, watching the scene proudly as his brothers in black surrounded Lyla and fawned over his son. Tough as they might be, there was nothing the Sons loved more than a baby. Babies were happy news, a welcome change from the usual death and violence of their everyday lives. And the President of the club having a son named after a man they had all loved and served faithfully, well that took the whole damn cake.

As they joined the crowd, Tig was the first to grab Evie in a hug, his blue eyes flashing mischeviously as he grinned at her. "Evie, doll, you coulda had me and you passed me up for ol' Chibby here, huh? Think of the stunners our kids woulda been!" He playfully slapped Chibs on the shoulder, the Scotsman shaking his head in laughter at his VP's usual raucous sense of humor.

"I don't think the world could handle more than one of you at a time, Tiggy. Let's just count our blessings that we missed that train, yeah?" Evie patted Tig on the chest, loving the look of happiness on Chibs' face at the scene before him. His club, his brothers, with his wife and son, both sides of his family united. He looked truly _happy_ for the first time in a very long time.

Evie thought it was the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen.

 **A/N: As always, please read and review and let me know what you think!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Here's the next chapter! I hope I didn't make Chibs and Evie seem too eager to be away from their baby, but every parent deserves a night out. As always, please read and review and let me know what you think! Any suggestions/comments/or ideas will be welcome as always!**

 _A date night. Lyla was offering to babysit so that the two of them could enjoy a night out. As much as they hated to leave little Jack, Evie had to admit it would be nice to just have time alone with her husband. So they agreed that Jack could stay with Lyla for a few hours while they went out for the first time in nearly a month._

For the first time in nearly six months, Evie was sitting on the back of Chibs' bike when he came out of the clubhouse, talking to Lyla as a croweater transferred Jack and his carseat from Evie's Jeep to Lyla's Subaru. "He's got bottles in the fridge, I had Kara put them in there earlier. Just grab them before you go home and he should be fine, he drinks one whole bottle every two hours or so. He usually falls asleep around eight thirty so he shouldn't be much bother. Everything else is nothing you haven't done before." The two women laughed, Lyla hugging her as she saw Chibs approaching.

"I'll let you two go have your fun, just call me when you're on the way to pick him up. I'll be up late, I have a bunch of editing to do. Don't rush home, Jack's in great hands!" With a wink, she leaned over to whisper in Evie's ear. "He can even spend the night if you two need an adults-only night. Piper and Kenny are at camp and Ellie's with Mary for the weekend, it'll just be me."

Then she was gone, leaving Evie to turn her attention to her husband. Standing up from the seat of his bike, she put her hands on her hips and smirked. "Well, how do I look?"

Chibs took the moment to look her up and down. Worn-in jeans hugged her hips, a black bustier-style top hiding the bit of bulge she still carried from her C-section and highlighting the bust that he was still attracted to, made even fuller by the weight of the milk that they carried. Her face was made up, her hair in its natural curling state that made her look ten years younger. She was a _stunner_ , and he took her hand in hers to pull her close to him. "Darlin', if you looked any better ya might give a man a heart attack." He pressed his free hand to his chest, feigning as if he might faint. "I'll get many a jealous stare with such a fine lady on the back of my Harley."

Her laugh was like bells, Evie taking her husband's face in her hands and pulling him to her for a kiss. Her thumbs brushed over the scars on his cheeks, her lips pressing against his in a way that made him want to take those clothes off of her right then. _But that would wait._ First they were going out for a little while; Evie deserved it. His hands slipped to the top of her jeans, going against what his body was telling him and pushing her back. "C'mon, love, we better go before the night ends early." He waited as she slung a leg over the Harley seat, settling herself before she slyly patted the seat.

"Hop on, Scottie, there's a place right here between my legs just waiting for you." She winked, the underlying meaning of her words clear.

Chibs took his spot, laughingly thinking to himself that he would be taking his place more than once tonight. He clipped his helmet beneath his chin, waiting as Evie did the same before he pulled out from the line of bikes. His wife's arms slid around his waist, her chin resting on his shoulder as they headed towards town. They weren't the kind for fancy resturants, but Luciano's Bar & Grille had recently set up shop in town and word was they had the best food in three counties. The parking lot was nearly full when they arrived, but they managed to find a spot and make their way inside. The bar was alive with people, most of the diners looking up to wave at SAMCRO's President and his Old Lady as they passed. Since Jax's death and Chibs taking over as President, the club had moved in a more peaceful direction and Charming's residents were clearly more inclined to offer a welcoming face to the club when people weren't being slaughtered in their streets. Chibs returned the waves, Evie stopping briefly to speak to a few of the women she knew while Chibs talked to their husbands. They finally reached an empty booth, Evie sitting across from her husband and smiling. "Clearly the court of public opinion is swaying in SAMCRO's favor at the moment. It's nice to see friendly faces instead of torches and pitchforks for once."

"Aye, love, I can sleep well knowin' the Reaper won't be hangin' on a burnin' stake in my front yard anymore." His joke wasn't far from the truth; at one time the town had just about been ready to publicly hang any Harley-riding man in a leather kutte. _Oh how times had changed._

They didn't spend long eating, Chibs more interested in getting to the bar to have a drink. Once their bellies were full, both he and Evie made their way to the bar and ordered a beer each, topped off with a shot. The crowd around them welcomed them in the fold, someone near them offering to buy the next round. Neither of them had ever been one to turn down a free drink, and before long they were beginning to build a buzz. Chibs called for the bartender to pour another round of shots for him and his wife, pushing one in front of Evie. With a raised eyebrow, he smirked. "Care to take on yer husband in a drinkin' contest?"

 _Just like when they first met._ Evie smiled a wide, toothy grin, taking the shot and clinking it against Chibs' glass. "You couldn't beat me when you met me, Chibs Telford, and you sure as shit can't beat me now!" And just like all those years ago, they slowly gathered an audience as the bartender supplied the shots. On shot seven, Evie reached over stealthily and had her hand in Chibs' lap, and before he realized what she was doing she had squeezed his manhood through his jeans. It caused him to gasp, the shot quavering in his hand before spilling. Evie downed her shot quickly, slamming the glass to the bar. "I win!" She threw her hands up in victory, the crowd around them cheering. People were patting her back, and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of joy. _If only Jax could see the work that Chibs had done, making the town love them again._

Chibs was suddenly at her back, one hand slipping around her. "C'mon love, let's move this party home." The meaning of his words was clear, and Evie nodded. She let Chibs taken her hand and lead her outside, her husband tossing money on the bar for the bartender. Outside, he put her on the bike, barely letting her put her helmet on before he was pulling away from the restaurant.

"What about Jack? We have to pick him up!"

"Lyla can bring him by in the morning, love. We just need one night."

 _Evie was pretty sure that was the quickest she'd ever seen her husband make it home._

He unlocked the front door and got them inside, barely shutting it behind them before he had Evie against the wall of their foyer. His fingers loosened the clasps of her shirt, getting her out of it quicker than she'd gotten in it and discarding her bra as well. Then he was squeezing her breasts, Evie trying not to wince at the soreness in them. Instead she focused on unbuttoning the plaid shirt Chibs wore, pushing it off of his shoulders as he began working on the button of her jeans. "Baby, let's go upstairs. Don't wanna have a mess to clean at the front door." He listened to her through the haze of lust he was in, and Evie led him up the stairs to their bedroom where he deposited his shirt on the floor and returned to working on her jeans. She was out of them in a moment, standing there before him in just a tiny pair of lace panties in all her glory. The skulls-and-roses tattoo on her side rippled as she moved, her fingers undoing his belt and letting his jeans fall to the floor.

Before she could get on her knees, a knock on the front door echoed through the house and broke the moment they were in, Chibs cursing loudly. "If it's one of the fuckin' prospects, they're goin' home minus a dick and a kutte!" Jerking his jeans up and buttoning them, he headed for the stairs, stomping down them as Evie pulled on his discarded shirt to go and try to stop him from killing whoever was at the door. She was halfway down the steps when he called up to her. "Evie, darlin', there's someone here for you." His voice sounded different, as if he wasn't sure what to think. Confused, Evie hurried down the remaining steps, turning the corner in the foyer before she stopped dead.

"Evelyn, sweetheart, look at you!" It was her mother. Sonia Carson stood in the doorway, looking like an older version of Evie. Gray streaked her dark hair, lines creasing the tan skin of her face.

"Mom? What the fuck are you doing here?"

 _Even here in Charming, she couldn't escape her goddamned mother._


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: So this chapter explains a little more of Evie's backstory, and also sets up her mother as her main antagonist. Trust me, Sonia's going to be sticking around for a little while longer. As always, I hope you all read and enjoy. Please leave me a review and let me know your thoughts as well as anything you'd like to see or any ideas you have. Love, Lacey**

 _"I've moved back to town, darling." She'd heard about Jack, and had decided it was a perfect time to move to Charming and wreak havoc in her daughter's life._

Her mother's words from last night were still haunting Evie when she woke up, stretching and turning to look over at Chibs. He was still sleeping, his arm thrown over his face to block the sun. She let him sleep; since he'd been deprived of his romantic night with her after Sonia's rude interruption, he at least deserved to be undisturbed. Checking her phone, she saw a text from Lyla letting her know she would bring Jack by around noon on her way home from the studio, and Evie made a mental note to babysit Lyla's kids for her one night in thanks. Chibs' shirt from last night was still lying by the bed where she'd dropped it, and she slid it on and buttoned it up over her breasts to go downstairs. Her mother wasn't on the couch as Evie passed through the living room, and she rolled her eyes as she heard dishes banging around in the kitchen.

Sonia was standing at the coffee maker, a steaming mug in her hand. A pan was sizzling on the stove, eggs bubbling as they cooked. When she heard Evie come into the kitchen, she turned and smiled a wide grin. "Good morning, Evelyn dear, sit down and have some breakfast! It didn't look like you do much cooking, so I took it on myself to make something to eat." _Of course. Leave it to her mom to do something nice and insult her in the same breath._

Evie sat and waited until her mother pushed a plate of eggs over in front of her, picking at them gingerly as she attempted to think of what to say to her mother. Sonia noticed, and was quick to speak up. "Eat, honey, the eggs are good protein. You need more muscle instead of those little rolls you're getting." Her eyes skimmed over her daughter's frame, noting the fullness she had now compared to the skinny teenager who'd left home so many years ago.

"Mother, I just had a damn baby, what do you expect?" Evie's voice was sharp, her eyes glittering in fury. _Typical Sonia. And she wondered why she'd run as far from Port Arthur, Texas as she could get._

Hands on her hips, Sonia raised an eyebrow at her daughter. "Evelyn Rebecca Satterly, having a child is no excuse to let yourself go. Though I'm sure at his age your husband would have a hard time seeing your body anyway." _That was another thing she had made clear since her arrival the previous night._ She didn't like Chibs, didn't approve of Evie being married to someone so much older than her, and had voiced that opinion several times last night during their conversation. Personally, Evie could give two fucks less if Sonia liked him or not.

Slamming the fork down on the counter, Evie cut her eyes at her mother. "I refuse to sit here and let you talk shit about my husband in his own damn house. Filip is the most amazing man I've ever met in my entire life and he deserves respect in his own house!"

Sighing, Sonia leaned over and gave her daughter a sad look. "Darling, I just don't understand it. There's plenty of younger men with amazing careers and more money that you could have, Evelyn. You're wasting your life with some biker outlaw you met because he looked at you like a slice of meat on a serving plate!"

 _That was the last straw._ Evelyn threw the fork in her hand across the counter, barely missing Sonia. "You did the same thing, Mother! You did your time in the clubhouse too, just like I did! Don't act like you didn't come from the same cloth I did, _Sunny._ " Sonia visibly flinched as Evie called her old nickname, something that JT and Piney had called her and something that Piney had told Evie a long time ago.

"It was different back then, Evelyn, John and Piney and the rest weren't horndog criminals like the club you walked into. Those men only wanted you for your body." _Evie couldn't believe what her mother was saying. As if being a croweater in the 70's and 80's was any different than being one now? At least Evie had gotten a better life out of it, a husband and a son. Her mother had ended up with some no-count idiot in a tiny town in Texas with four kids and no money when her "husband" skipped town. Sonia had no room to judge._

"Those days are over. The club is doing bigger and better things, and I don't have to explain myself to you." Her finalty seemingly ended the conversation, Evie shoving the plate of eggs towards her mother and getting up from the counter. "Now if you have anything else to say about my husband or my family, you can take your opinions and shove them up your ass." She stomped off, nearly barreling over Chibs in the doorway of their bedroom. He sensed something was wrong with her even in his half-awake state, and he paused.

"You cookin' breakfast, love?" He instantly regretted his words when he saw the look she was giving him.

"You go eat those fucking eggs and I kick you out of this house tonight." As she dropped down onto the bed, she began to cry. "I wish she'd never come here!"

Sitting down beside her, Chibs hugged his wife against him, smoothing her dark hair as she cried into his shoulder. "It's alright, darlin', tell me what's botherin' you so."

There was a brief pause before she spoke, sniffling as she looked up at him and met his eyes. "My mom's always been so critical when it comes to me; my sisters have always been her perfect angels and I was the black sheep, all because I'm just like her. Emmeline's married to some rich banker, lives on the Upper East Side in a penthouse with her two perfect kids and perfect everything. Elyse is in Seattle running some kind of organic food business and saving the planet. And Elisabeth's a makeup artist in Miami, always at the best parties and the best shows and the best of everything. And then there's me, the biker-loving little girl who wanted to be a famous actress but ended up swinging on a pole until the big bad boys in leather saved me." She gave her husband a smile, taking his hand in hers. "Opie came in that day to see my show, he was with Tig and some other guy I didn't know. They were leaving when my boss came through, started roughing me up. I thought Opie was going to knock his head into another county when he hit him, saved me from getting my teeth rearranged. Then he asked me if I wanted to come back to Charming and work around the clubhouse. It was the best decision I ever made, the first time I ever felt like I belonged somewhere."

It was the first time Chibs had ever heard her whole story, and it occured to him that she must feel like an outcast with her own family most of the time. He put an arm around her, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head. "You'll always belong with me, Evie girl. Me an' Jack are always gonna need ya to be here with us."

That seemed to calm her, and she slowly stopped crying. Finally, she settled, getting up from the bed and smoothing her mussed hair. "C'mon, maybe for once I'll do some cooking and make pancakes." She finally cracked a smile, Chibs following her down the stairs.

"And just so you know, babe, we're never fucking eating eggs in this house again."


	10. Chapter 10

_Finally she had some peace. Sonia had gone to the house she'd moved into after their argument yesterday morning, and Chibs was gone with the club on some business for the day, so Evie and Jack were home by themselves._

With Jack sleeping in his swing, Evie spent the morning cleaning the house, trying to get things in order from the chaos of the past month. Clothes had to be washed, floors had to be swept, the nursery had to be organized; she hadn't realized how crazy things had gotten in the month since Jack's birth. With her third load of laundry in the washer, she made her way into the kitchen and pulled the magnetic notepad off the refrigerator, mentally preparing a list of food she wanted to cook for their next "family dinner". It was nice to have the Sons come and gather around her dining table, to see her husband sit at the head of the table and once again have his brothers reunited. It was a tradition she didn't intend to let die again. Writing down the things she'd need to pick up at the grocery store, she folded the paper and tucked it into her purse, deciding she'd take Jack and go to the store once he woke up. Casting a glance through the pass-through window of their kitchen, she smiled to see her son asleep in the swing. _He was such a good baby._ She checked the fridge to make sure he had bottles prepared; they'd started working on transitioning him to formula instead of breastmilk but she still kept a few bottles of her milk for when he refused to take the formula. The buzz of the dryer pulled her attention to the laundry room, pulling the load of clothes out and heading into the living room to fold them. Jack woke up just as she sat down on the couch, starting to fuss before she put a pacifier in his mouth and then he was content to watch her as she folded.

He began to cry as she finished up her folding, and she got up to pick him up and carry him into the kitchen for a bottle. "Alright, little boy, let's head to the store. We've got to get some food to cook for your uncles when they come over." She quickly changed his diaper and put some pants on him, strapping him into the carseat and shouldering the diaper bag. Once they were in the car, she headed towards the store, listening to the sound of Jack sucking his bottle in the backseat. She dug in her purse to find her phone, to call Chibs and see how things were going, but just as she was dialing the last number, a car pulled out in front of her and she had to slam on the breaks. Her breath caught in her throat as she narrowly avoided rear-ending the car, cussing quietly under her breath. _Stupid ass people._ Deciding she'd just wait and call Chibs tonight, she managed to make it safely the rest of the way to the store, taking Jack's carseat out and taking it into the store. She got him into a cart, making sure he was secure before she pulled her list from her purse and started making a round of the store. Chicken was on sale, and she remembered that both Tig and Rat had been hounding her to make fried chicken for weeks. So she tossed several packs in the cart, browsing the aisles for everything she'd need to go along with it. Jack had fallen asleep again as she shopped, and she lovingly brushed the hair back from his face. He had a head full of thick dark hair, much like Evie's, and she could already see he was going to look like her.

A cart bumped hers when she wasn't looking, and she looked up to see Mary Jo Koebner. The older woman owned the hair salon in town where Evie had her hair done, and was one of the friendliest people Evie had ever met. When she saw it was Evie, she smiled. "I'm sorry, dear, I wasn't watching where I was going. I hope I didn't wake that precious little boy." She stepped around to look at Jack, the baby not stirring.

"Of course not, he's such a heavy sleeper. He gets it from his daddy."

Mary Jo looked up from Jack, her eyes going to Evie. "Speaking of your husband, I was wondering if I could ask a small favor." _The townspeople had clearly taken to the Sons again; they were building a relationship again._

Evie crossed her arms and leaned on the buggy, nodding quickly. "Sure, I can pass on a message to him. What's up?"

For a moment, Mary Jo looked a little nervous, but then she got closer to Evie and lowered her voice. "For a few weeks now, someone's been going to the shop after closing and spray painting the door and the sidewalk. And yesterday morning when I went to open up, the front windows were busted out and there were bricks inside. It might just be some kids causing trouble, but I was wondering if maybe Chibs and his men could swing by one night and see what's going on? I don't want to bother them, but the police aren't doing much to help."

"Of course, honey, I'll tell him about it as soon as he gets home tonight. It won't be a problem, I'll have him swing by the shop with one of the guys and they can see what's up." She smiled and patted the other woman's arm, Mary Jo giving her a comforted look.

"Thank you, Evie, you don't know how much I appreciate it. Sorry to interrupt your shopping, you have a good day!" With a parting hug, Mary Jo was gone around the corner, and Evie pushed her cart down the aisle to the milk cooler. _It was so nice to see the town so comfortable with them, asking for favors and finally treating them as more than second-class citizens._ She scribbled a note on her shopping list to remind herself to talk to Chibs about the salon, then turned her attention to picking a gallon of milk. Finding one with the longest time before the expiration date, she was just placing it in the cart when her cell phone rang. Pulling it out of her pocket, her brows crinkled as she saw Happy's number flash across the screen. _Why was Happy calling her?_ She answered, pressing the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

There was no return greeting, just the Sargeant-at-Arms sounding _emotional_. "Evie? It's Chibs, there was an accident when we were on the way home. We're at St. Thomas now."

His words echoed around Evie's mind for a minute until she could comprehend them, and then she abruptly hung up and grabbed Jack's carseat from the cart, paying no mind to the groceries she was abandoning as she sprinted for the door.

 _Something was wrong with her husband and she had to get to him._

The hospital was quiet when she came running in the door with Jack, Rat meeting her in the front hall. "C'mon, Evie, he's this way." He took Jack from her arms, seeing how upset she was, and followed her down to the emergency waiting room. Happy, Quinn, Montez, and T.O. all sat in the hard chairs, all of them looking up when Evie came barreling in.

"Where is he?!" Happy got up to meet her, taking her hands in his.

"He's in the back with the doctors. We were on the way back home, some asshole tried to run us off the road. Don't know who it was yet, but we'll find out. Tig's getting stitches and a cast on his arm; Chibs got the worst of it. We don't know anything about him yet, but they'll probably tell you more." He pointed towards the window where a nurse sat, the other guys briefly standing up to hug Evie before she headed in that direction, Rat calling to her that he would watch over Jack till she got back.

When the nurse opened the window, Evie gestured quickly to the back. "My husband's name is Filip Telford, he's in the back and I need to see him now." The nurse nodded and buzzed her in, telling her Chibs was in room 12. On her way to his room, she passed Tig getting stitches in his head with his arm in a cast, and she paused to kiss his cheek before she reached her husband.

 _The sight that greeted her was not a pleasant one._

Her husband was in a hospital bed, road rash running down one arm and the other wrapped and bandaged. The entire left side of his face was scratched and bruised, the bruises extending down to the top of his hospital gown and disappearing beneath the fabric. His right leg was wrapped in bandages, though the fact that it wasn't in a hard case relieved her a little. He looked like hell, plain and simple, and it wasn't hard to tell they'd been run off the road. She could only imagine the state of his motorcycle. A nurse was at his bedside, checking his blood pressure when Evie entered the room. It broke her heart to see her husband look like he did, and the nurse looked up with a soft smile.

"He'll be okay, sweetheart, he's banged up and bruised but he's okay. Just an accident, nothing he can't recover from. He's just sleeping now, they gave him a sedative to calm him down."

Evie made her way over to sit at his bedside, reaching over to take his hand in hers.

 _Now she knew how he felt when she had Jack._

 _This was a horrible feeling._


	11. Chapter 11

_Lyla had convinced Evie to go home and rest around midnight, telling her that Chibs would be sleeping until the next day and there was no reason for her to try and stay awake all night for nothing. The nurses had let Tig go, and he agreed with Lyla, sending Rat and Quinn to spend the night at the house with her to make sure she was okay. Lyla drove her home, Evie nearly falling asleep in the car from exhaustion._

She'd barely been able to stay awake to nurse Jack, placing him in the bassinet Rat had helped her move into the bedroom earlier. The newest member of SAMCRO was always willing to help her out, and she couldn't help but think it might be due to the crush he'd had on her since her croweater days. He was currently downstairs on the couch while Quinn took the recliner, Rat calling up the stairs that all she had to do was holler if she needed them. Settling back onto her pillows, she reached over to place her hand on Chibs' pillow. The smell of his cologne drifted over to her, and she felt tears spring in her eyes without knowing why. _He was okay, he wasn't hurt too badly, he wasn't dead. Stop crying. Why are you crying?_ She just wanted him _home._ She'd made it up in her mind that she'd be up as early as possible, to be back at the hospital first thing in the morning. That statement repeated over and over in her mind as she dropped off into sleep.

Jack's cries woke her the next morning, and she felt like her eyelids weighed a hundred pounds as she tried to open them. Her little boy was happy to see her, breaking his cries with a smile as she appeared over his bassinet. Once he was in her arms, he was content to snuggle close to his mother, beginning to nurse quietly as she laid back down, cradling him in the crook of her arm. The clock beside her read 10:30 when she managed to look at it, and she immediately began mentally kicking herself for sleeping so long. _Chibs would be awake, he would need her. She had to hurry and get to the hospital._ Jack, however, would not be rushed, and it was another ten minutes before he got his little belly full and Evie could get up. After a diaper change, she placed him between two pillows, keeping him still long enough that she could throw on a pair of leggings and a SAMCRO T-shirt. That was the best she was going to look, and she slipped on her flip-flops to head out. Jack babbled happily as she picked him up and headed downstairs, Rat and Quinn making coffee in the kitchen. Quinn offered her a cup of coffee as she entered the kitchen, which she accepted with a grateful smile. "Thanks, boys. I hope you can take your coffee to go, I want to get to the hospital."

She didn't notice the look the two men shared. "Actually, Evie, Tig said Chibs was still sleeping. We can wait a little while to go if you want." Quinn's voice sounded strange, and Evie turned to give him a piercing look.

"I don't care, I want to be there with my husband. I want to be there when he wakes up." They could tell she wouldn't be swayed, and they sighed. Evie picked up on it, and she raised an eyebrow. "Is there something you aren't telling me?"

Rat was quick to shake his head, placing his coffee mug down on the counter. "Of course not. If you want to go then we'll escort you." Evie didn't miss the side-eye he got from Quinn, but she chose to ignore it as she gathered up Jack's diaper bag and her purse. She couldn't shake the feeling that the boys were hiding something from her, but thoughts of getting to Chibs pushed it aside.

"C'mon then, let's go."

The drive to the hospital took longer than usual, as Rat and Quinn seemed to be trying to drive as slow as possible. Finally they arrived, and Evie went around them to find a parking spot. She got Jack out of his carseat and shouldered his diaper bag, storming into the hospital without even stopping to look for Rat and Quinn. _They had pissed her off so much, she would make sure Tig heard about how they had acted this morning._ The elevator took her to the second floor, her eyes landing on Tig coming out of the waiting room. He seemed to be startled when he saw her, rushing towards her with a tight smile.

"Evie, doll, I thought you wouldn't be here until later?" _Why did everyone seem to not want her to see her husband today?_

"Why would I not be here early? You're acting like Rat and Quinn, Tig, what's everybody's problem today?" She attempted to go around him, but he side-stepped her and blocked her way. "Get out of my damn way, Tig, I don't know why nobody wants me to be here with Chibs but I'm going to!" Managing to get around him, she gave him a hard glare as she headed towards Chibs' room.

"Evie, wait!" Tig hurried after her, but Evie reached Chibs' room before he could stop her. Pushing the door open, she was prepared to see her husband in his hospital bed, maybe awake and smiling at her.

What she was not prepared to see was a woman she'd never seen before who strangely reminded her of herself sitting at his bedside and holding his hand. She heard Tig screech to a halt behind her, almost able to feel the tension roll off of him.

"Who are you?"

The other woman seemed to notice her for the first time, looking up and giving Evie a stoic look.

"I'm Fiona Larkin, dear. I'm Filip's wife."

Evie could feel all the blood drain from her face and her blood pressure rise.

"You must have the wrong room, Ms. Larkin. I'm Mrs. Telford. My name's Evelyn."

The older woman smiled softly. "Yes dear, you're his new wife. I'm his first wife, and the mother of his daughter Kerrianne. We live in Belfast."

 _Evie was quite sure if Chibs wasn't already in a hospital bed she would've put him in one. How did he hide having another wife AND another child from her? How could he keep something like that from her? How dare this woman come and sit at her husband's bedside like she was?_

All she could do was give the woman an icy half-smile. "Excuse me a moment, Ms. Larkin." Turning on her heel, she pegged Tig with a dark glare. "Can I speak to you a minute?" Once they were in the hallway, she tried to keep her voice low, though she wanted nothing more than to scream at him.

 _"Explain this shit to me now."_


End file.
